 Laguna Beach, Orange County, CA. 8/22/05 |
Marine Blue Leptotes marina Lepidoptera: Lycaenidae Back to Butterflies of Orange County, California |
 Laguna Beach, Orange Couty, CA. 6/08/05 |
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 Caterpillar |
 Thomas E. Riley Wilderness Park, Coto de Caza, Orange County, CA. 7-5-10. © Ron Hemberger |
 Fullerton Arboretum, Fullerton, Orange County, CA. 12-20-08. © Ron Hemberger |
 Huntington Central Park, Huntington Beach, Orange County, CA. 7-22-08. © Ron Hemberger |
 Mating pair. Fullerton Arboretum, Fullerton, Orange County, CA. 9-28-09. © Ron Hemberger |
 Mating pair. Huntington Central Park, Huntington Beach, Orange County, CA. 7-22-08. © Ron Hemberger |
 Ovipositing. Thomas E. Riley Wilderness Park, Coto de Caza, Orange County, CA. 7-4-09. © Ron Hemberger |
 Ovipositing. Huntington Central Park, Huntington Beach, Orange County, CA. 7-22-08. © Ron Hemberger |
Characteristics: White and brown "tiger striped" on ventral wing, with darker spots along ventral hindwing margins. Male--purple-blue on dorsal wing; female--mottled brown with some blue on the dorsal wing. Forewing length: 11-14 mm. Similar Species: The Gyas Blue (Hemiargus ceraunus gyas) and Marine Blue have similar ventral wing patterns, but gyas is much smaller than marina. Habitats, Behavior: Adults often nectar at Eriogonum fasciculatum (Wild Buckwheat) blossoms in the Santa Ana Mountains. I have also observed it occasionally nectaring on oleander in urban areas, where it frequents many other flowers. Distribution: The Marine Blue is probably the most widely distributed butterfly in Orange County, and has been since the early part of this century (Kerr, 1918). We list only Santa Ana Mountain records below, since it is so common and widespread in the lowland areas. Flight Period: Multiple brooded; the summer and fall broods are the largest. We have records for February through November although Emmel and Emmel (1973) list the primary flight period as March to October. Larval Foodplants: In urban areas, Plumbago sp. (leadwort), a widely grown sticky, blue-flowered ornamental, and pea (Lathyrus sp.) are widely utilized. The Marine Blue is associated with Alfalfa (Medicago sativa) at Upper Newport Bay. In theSanta Ana and San Jacinto Mountains, adults occur near Amorpha californica (False Indigo) and thus may utilize this as a larval foodplant. From Orsak, L. J. (1977). The Butterflies of Orange County, California. Center for Pathobiology Miscellaneous Publication #3. University of California Press, New York. 349pp. Return to Butterflies and their larval foodplants |
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